TRICKS
How to get yourself idolized in local arcades

You may have figured it out for yourself that there's more to DDR than just hitting the buttons. You can do so much more than just stomp around. So let's get started with some basic moves you can start your show career with!!! BTW, if anyone has more moves, please email me.

You can start trying these tricks after you've passed a reasonable number of three-foot songs. My personal suggestion is to go back to one-footers to learn these techniques and gradually work them into your three-foot routines. For examples, 3^rd Mixers should be attempting some of these moves in "Upside Down" about the same time as they have passed "The Race" and "Operator" with good grades.

HAND SLAP
Simple, just bend over and slap the buttons with your hands. Not very cool looking, but it's a start. Hey, learn to put your sense of balance on the line, for crying out loud! This can be combined with some other basic moves to make it a bit cooler.

THE ANKLE BIND

During a long string of steps with no two-button combos, hop on the buttons with both feet like you're handcuffed at the ankles (footcuffs?). Not all that impressive-looking either, but more experienced DDRers will appreciate the extra effort you're putting into it. This can be combined with turning to make yourself look less like a bunny rabbit on speed pills in a discotheque and more like a super-hyper techno master!

BASIC TURNING

Turning is one of the DDRer's most impressive feats, especially to the untrained eye. In other words, it can be one heck of a lot easier than it looks. There are many different ways to accomplish a turn, and it really depends on the dancer and the song, so use your imagination! Choreograph! I'll give you an example of turning: At one part of "Upside Down," the sequence of steps is R, R, R, R, L, L, L, L. Facing the screen, press the first R with your right foot. Turn 90 degrees to the left and press R with your right foot again, moving your right foot back. Turn 90 degrees to the left again (you are now facing away from the screen) and switch feet so you are now pressing R with your left foot. Turn 90 more degrees and press R with your left foot again (it will be going forward). Now turn the final 90 degrees, now facing the screen again, and press the first L with your left foot. Reverse the above to turn to the right on the four Ls.

These tricks are pretty tough…you probably should wait to try these until you're into some pretty deep stuff like "Dynamite Rave" and other five-foot songs to try these in the three and four-foot songs.

KNEE DROP

Obvious, just kneel on the button. Don't miss and hit the screws on the arcade pad, or you will be limping for weeks. Combine with the Hand Slap to end a song, or combine both with turning to do some breakdancing.

DISMOUNT

If the last arrow in the songs points off the stage (left for Player 1 and right for Player 2) you can jump off the stage sideways and hit the button with your hand, elbow, or whatever body part happens to be closest to the pad (except your head…you'll regret it).

BAR HOP

Oh so impressive, oh so rockin', oh so painful if you mess it up, the Bar Hop is one of the most famous DDR tricks. As the song starts, stand behind the machine holding onto the bar. Vault over it, straddling the bar and landing on the appropriate button in time with the music. Two players can't do it at once, their legs would get tangled. Short people, who might crack a few ribs attempting this, should not attempt this.

ADVANCED TURNING

Turning gets more interesting as you get into the higher levels. You'll learn to see spins in the arrow patterns and react appropriately. Here's two examples of some advanced turning:

In "Dam Dariram," there's an arrow sequence that goes L/R, rest, rest, rest, L/R, rest, rest, rest, L/R, rest, rest, rest, U, U, D, D and repeats. When you jump leading into the first L/R, cross your legs in midair. Land with them crossed and uncross them by twisting to face away from the screen. Repeat as desired. There's many different ways to turn at this part; be creative and invent your own!

In many songs you'll encounter the sequence U, L, R, D. Step on U with your left foot. Hit L with your right foot, keeping your left foot on U so that you turn slightly to the right. Step on R with your left foot, completing the 90' right turn. Now here's the tough part: spin on your left foot 270' to hit D with your right foot. This is also known as the "Disco Spin." This can be reversed for U, R, L, D or rearranged for any similar sequence.

Besides the infamous Matrix Walk, I don't really know about any expert moves. If anyone has some they'd like me to add, please email me.

MATRIX WALK

I don't need to tell you where this move got its name. This dangerous and potentially damaging (to the machine AND you!) move should NOT, I repeat and emphasize SHOULD NOT be performed in an arcade setting. It's quite possible that you will destroy the DDR machine and be sued by the arcade, and I'm not just saying that. Perform this move on YOUR OWN PRIVATE DDR MACHINE ONLY. That way if you break it you've only ruined your own life, and not those of all DDRers who use the arcade and will most likely jump you on your way out of the courthouse and beat you to death by performing the steps to "Paranoia Evolution" on your head and chest. Lean back during a string of rests, grab the bar, kick your legs up and run sideways across the face of the machine, landing back on your pad. As you can see, you'll probably put your foot right through the screen. Considering the fact that the average DDR machine is worth $3000-$5000, it would be crazy to perform this move on ANY machine, even your own.